The Magical Dreamer
by Azareth Sakura
Summary: [AU] In a world of dreams, Starfire finds herself falling head over heels for the man she loves in reality. When something happens and Robin isn't the one, Starfire must make a decision before it is too late, and both worlds merge into one. [RobxStar]
1. Prelude: Of Roses and Rhapsodies

**The Magical Dreamer**  
**Prelude: Of Roses and Rhapsodies**

**By Azareth Sakura**

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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Teen Titans and stuff. Just the plot and any characters I end up creating later on in this story.

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_Click..click..click.._ It was now midnight, the witching hour, and all five denizens of the seemingly serene tower were fast asleep. Cyborg, half-man half-robot, was plugged into a large machine in the wall so that his power cells could charge after the long hard day playing hero. Beast Boy, the green comedic changeling, moved around in his bed, restless like the half-beat he was. He kicked at the blankets, making the majority fall to the floor before he too fell, snoring all the while.

The dark empath was in such a deep sleep, that it was almost impossible to tell she was alive. She slept stilly, like a log, wrapped in dark sheets, surrounded by sweet smelling candles to calm her subconscious. Her breathing was even and slow, and this was because for the first time in many moons, no nightmares of her demonic father plagued her dreaming self.

In the room at the end of the long hallway on the second floor, lay the slumbering leader of the fearless team. Robin turned over three times before settling deep under the covers. He was a normal human, plagued by nightmares of the night his parents died, the smell of the fire after their murder still present after all these years in his memory. More pleasant dreams came as well, ones where he was young and working with the Dark Knight. The best dreams of all, however, were the ones where his beloved Starfire had been kidnapped by one of his many foes, and he single handedly saved her. While expressing her immense gratitude for his saving her life, she confessed to the dream Robin that she loved him, resulting in hugs, touches, and kisses like no other. If only he had enough confidence in himself to believe that Starfire could- and did- love him as he loved her, those kisses would become a reality.

It was not the perfect moment for Robin to come out yet, so he anxiously waited while the emotions built up inside him. In the meantime, Starfire was content to wait, for her alien ways did not know just how she was to express the emotions she felt for Robin on Earth.

But where was Starfire that night? What deep paths did her subconscious explore as she slept on, her body quickly healing herself of any injuries sustained from the battle that occurred just previous to bed? The Tamaranian princess too was asleep, neatly sleeping under the cute orange and pink covers of her large, soft, and comfortable full sized bed. Her flaming hair surrounded her face in a halo, and her breathing was deep, easy and calm.

She was hovering above a stone path that led into a dark forest. Starfire suppressed a shudder as she slowly made her way into the creepy woods. Arms wrapped around herself as if to shield herself from nonexistent winds, she tried not to let her fear manifest itself. After all, this was _her_ dream, and in this alternate universe she did not know how badly the manifestations of her troubled mind would affect her real self.

As she passed a rather tall, and gnarled tree, there was a rustling from the bushes by her ankles. Starfire let out a shriek before shooting up into the air, hands aglow with green starbolts ready to fire. She hovered above the bush and inched closer and closer to see what made the noise.

Starfire was just barely above the bush when she reached out and poked it tentatively. She let out a strangled cry as tentacles shot out of the bush and wrapped themselves around her thin frame, pressing her hands tightly together behind her back to inhibit her starbolts from firing at them.

Tighter and tighter they squeezed her slender body, cutting off her circulation, and lessening her oxygen intake. Her attempts at escape were growing weaker as each second passed, and her arms slowly drooped down to her sides. She closed her eyes as she felt each laborious breath inhaled and exhaled, and thought of that which was dearest to her heart.

Of course her friends, Cyborg and Beast Boy, her best female friend, Raven were all important to her-wait- where were they? And where was Robin, her _m'rya_, the Tamaranian word used to describe a man, the one man that a Tamaranian girl had lost her heart to. A sudden, panicky feeling made itself known to the inner recesses of Starfire's mind. Inside her, a surge of fear, worry, and anger at the thought of harm done unto her friends bubbled within her.

It bubbled up until finally, with one giant, mixed up ball of emotion, all her power blasted the tentacles away from her. The neon green glow of her eyes waned and the starbolts fizzled away as she looked around for any signs of the horrid monster that had tried to capture her. She saw it lying dead on the ground, burned by the immense blast of power.

Satisfied, the alien princess looked around her once more, before accepting her new, seemingly nomadic fate, and continuing down the path. A whirl of rose petals suddenly surrounded her in a rapid gust of wind.

They were a deep, bloody red color, _the ones symbolizing love_, Starfire recalled from a conversation she once had with Raven about the meanings of Earth plants. She supposed it was odd that love petals had appeared out of nowhere, but since this was a dream, anything could happen.

_"They are for you…"_

The winds subsided, and the Tamaranian quickly turned to face the person who had spoken. There was no one there but the darkened sky and shrubbery of the creepy forest. Releasing a breath she did not realize she had been holding, Starfire turned back around to continue on her journey, only to bump into a tall figure.

"I am sorry, I did not-

_"They are for you…"_ he said again, stepping back to hand her a beautiful, newly torn crimson colored rose. _"They are all for you…"_

Starfire's cheeks colored slightly as she looked the man over. He was taller than she was, a rare sight, but not an unwanted one. He wore dark clothing, black baggy pants, and a dark grey t-shirt that stretched across his form, drawing notice to his muscular frame. He had spiky, black colored hair, and a slight smile graced his lips. Starfire wanted so desperately to see his eyes, but they were hidden by the shadows of the night.

He stepped out of the shadows and held the rose out to her again. _"For you, my lovely…"_ he said.

His eyes were no longer hidden. They were a magnificent color, a beautiful, clear cerulean blue color that instantly captured Starfire's own twinkling emeralds. Lost within the depth of his gaze, she moved closer to him and accepted the rose. "I thank you.." she replied.

He said nothing, but lifted her hand and gently brought it to his lips. Blushing and uncomfortable, Starfire retracted her hand from his grip and turned to him once again. "Please, where am I?" she asked. "And of my friends, do you know where they are?" He started to speak, but she wasn't done. "And who are you?" she asked finally, smiling shyly.

Sighing softly, he led her over to a clearing by a small lake that glistened under the starry night sky. He gestured for her to sit down under a flowering tree, and she readily obliged. He too sat, and sighed again.

"Do my questions bother you?" she asked him, worry and embarrassment fighting for dominance in her visage.

"No." he said,. "_Nothing_ about you could _ever_ bother me. I just don't know how to explain this to you- I don't want you to leave me here, Starfire." He looked into her eyes. _"I love you."_

Star's eyes widened and his words reverberated around her, in her mind, and in the solitary clearing. His voice seemed more familiar to her every time it echoed in her imagination. Realization dawned upon her, and she found herself speaking out in shock to the mysterious stranger. Except now, he didn't seem like such a stranger anymore.

_"Robin!"_

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**Author's Note:** Welcome to the writing corner of my mind  I wish that you all enjoyed this prologue, but I'll warn you in advance- I'm not very good with updating quickly, so I apologize. Also, I'm not fully sure on just _how_ I want this story to turn out, or just what will happen later on, so I guess we'll just play it by ear. It **will** be RobxStar though, and it **will** be AU and not very canonical. Thanks for reading!

_ 3 Azareth Sakura_


	2. Chapter One: Of Dreams and Déjà vu

**The Magical Dreamer  
Chapter One: Of Dreams and Déjà vu**

**By Azareth Sakura**

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Disclaimer:** I don't own Teen Titans and stuff. Just the plot and any characters I end up creating later on in this story.

It's funny how whenever you want to stay asleep, especially to catch the last tangible moments of a dream or the much needed sleep, something happens and you always wake up, cranky and irritable until said distraction leaves you. With the satisfaction of knowing you can now return to slumber in peace, you place your head back upon the pillow, only to find that you are now awake and will not be able to succumb to the slumber that you wanted to finish.

Alien as she was, Starfire was no exception to this rule. She cursed inwardly as she slowly opened her eyes and focusing them on the heavy metallic door at the edge of her room. A loud, obscenely obnoxious knocking sound resonated throughout her room and woke her up. It had abated for approximately two minutes, and as soon as she tried to fall back asleep, it began again- loud and obnoxious, as it had been the first time.

Trudging across the room, she reached her door only to have it swing open before she could type in the unlock code. Apparently, some concerned member of her current household had overwritten the command keeping it locked. Her slight early morning irritation drained out of her normally cheerful self as she stepped back to let the Boy Wonder in her room. She motioned for him to make himself comfortable while crossing the room to open the curtains of her large windows, allowing for her body to absorb some of the sunlight energy.

Starfire stretched her tired muscles briefly before turning back to face her leader. A slight blush crossed her cheeks as she tried to recall the last moments of her dream, but found that the details were swiftly leaving her memory; she could only remember the two of them had been in the dream, but as to what they did when they found each other was a mystery. So the princess blushed for a reason she did not know, and asked him why he had been banging so vociferously at such an early hour (it happened to be about 8:45 in the morning).

"You weren't up," Robin confessed sheepishly, not quite looking her in the face, "I was worried since you're always awake at dawn and down by 6…" here he paused to look at the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. "So when I came up to check if you were all right, I heard some strange…noises. It sounded like you were screaming at one point, and then there was nothing." He paused again. "I turned to leave, when you said…" Robin trailed off, unsure of how best to phrase what he wanted to say.

"I said…?" Starfire asked, brimming with curiosity as she prompted him to finish the statement.

"You said my name." He said relentlessly staring down at the thick, fluffy white carpeting of Star's tastefully styled room. Starfire blinked twice before turning to Robin with her large green eyes widened. Robin by now had shyly lifted his gaze off of the floor to see a pensive looking Starfire. Immediately worried that she was thinking of how best to tell him that the dream was nothing, that _he_ was nothing (as more than a friend, anyway) he opened his mouth to say _Never mind_ and escape as quickly as possible, when she finally replied.

"I do recall saying your name in a dream," she said slowly. "But I cannot recall the contents of this dream." She smiled brightly, "Perhaps I will recall at a later time, yes?"

As always when in the presence of that illuminating smile, Robin could not help but reciprocate, "Yeah, Star, I'm sure you will." He stood slowly, not quite wanting to leave, but his task was complete and he'd look idiotic sitting around on her bed. Affectionately ruffling her ruby locks, Robin ambled towards the exit, once again, as slowly as possible before pausing at the sound of her voice.

"Robin?" She called after him.

"Yeah?"

"I will be certain to inform you if I recall the dream. And..."

"And?" Prompted the lovesick teenager.

"And I would be most pleased if you waited for me to ready myself before joining me in the eating of the breakfast. If you have not yet eaten, that is," said Starfire smiling.

Robin's heart beat just a little bit faster. "Star, I'd be glad to join you for breakfast." Starfire giggled and floated over to the bathroom.

What the Tamaranian didn't know, and would probably _never_ know, was that the infamous Boy Wonder would've said yes to her even if he _had_ eaten. He was crazy, he decided. _Crazy in love with a goddess_, he thought, _a goddess that I'm not worthy of_. Idly he wondered just what it was that made him so insane for his supposed best friend. Robin _knew_ he shouldn't have those types of feelings for her, but he could not help it.

After all, she was perfection incarnated. Sweet, kind, funny, naïve, she was everything. And she was beautiful. Breathtakingly so. In fact, Robin reasoned, that it probably was his bloody hormones that made him so obsessive whenever Starfire was concerned. Well maybe not _just_ his bloody hormones. It was his bloody hormones _and_ Star's utter perfection that had Robin wrapped around her slender tanned fingers.

So wrapped up in his thoughts was he, that he almost didn't notice _his_ Starfire exit from the bathroom, dressed in her customary purple garb, cheeks a rosy red color, green eyes twinkling, and flaming hair _wet_. _Almost_. A few drops lingered on Starfire's cheeks, and he would have thought them tears had he not seen them flow down from her damp bangs. The wide grin on her face also led him away from this conclusion as well.

He swallowed nervously as one of the drops of water continued on down her right cheek, swirling down slowly and seductively down her neck. Again his heart sped up, his bloody hormones a raging frenzy as he used all the self control he possessed to suppress the strong desire to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Luckily for him and his fight in a losing battle, she turned around to put her towel back on the rack in her bathroom giving him time enough to calm himself down.

"Robin!" She exclaimed happily upon her return, "I am most joyful that you waited!"

"Of course, Star," he said, all nervousness hidden behind a mask of unwavering calm, "I will always wait for you."

Starfire merely smiled serenely, and the two friends waltzed out of the Tamaranian princess' living quarters to the elevator. They went down in an amicable silence, the kind only the best of friends or _closest of lovers_ could share, thought Robin. _It's a good thing we're both_, he continued to himself, _or will be at least…one day… I hope_…

The kitchen was remarkably empty. Sure the curtains on the windows had been pulled back to let the morning sunshine through, but not a single Titan was there. This accounted for the relatively peaceful atmosphere in the room, of which the pair was glad. Robin went over to make a pot of coffee while Starfire in her tiny white apron (she saw them used on TV, so she _had_ to have one) hovered behind him, staring in deep concentration at the cookbook propped up in front of her.

As the water had yet to boil, Robin crossed the floor to see what it was that Starfire was making for breakfast. After reading the title of the dish, Robin smirked before tapping her shoulder.

Starfire whirled around, startled and stared up at him with her eyes wide. "Need some help?" He asked, eyes behind the mask shining with amusement.

"Oh, **yes**!" She exclaimed happily. "While it _does_ seem so easy to prepare the hashed browns, and they _taste_ so wondrous, I am somehow unable to prepare them for myself!" She looked at him. "Is this not odd?" Starfire pouted cutely, "It is because I am not of Earth, yes?"

Robin tried to suppress the laughter at the absurdity of Star's theory, and somehow managed to succeed. "No, Star, it's _not_ because you're an alien." He smiled as he pointed to a closet, in which many ingredients were kept. "It's because you aren't using the right ingredient."

Almost four years on Earth, and Starfire never had the opportunity to learn the culinary arts. This was mainly due to the fact that as superheroes, there was hardly ever a time to sit down and eat a proper meal. The usual breakfast consisted of coffee and some store bought food (such as cereal) or something easily made (such as eggs). Lunch was almost always interrupted by some sort of villain. Even though Slade had been defeated a while ago, the police of Jump City still relied on the Titans to catch every single villain or crook, no matter how minor of a threat they were. The Teen Titans didn't mind this, for if they could not fight crime, then they had no purpose. Or so they felt.

After a fight, no one ever really felt like cooking, so take out was the normal solution. Dinner was another issue unto its own. There were the occasional late evening fights, after which someone other than Starfire, who took a bath after a fight, would cook some semblance of dinner. If not a home cooked meal, then there was pizza, or the sporadic invitation from the mayor of Jump City or some other prestigious community member requesting their presence at a formal event.

Returning back to the present, Starfire grinned sheepishly and said "Oh," before asking, "Then what, Robin, is the ingredient that I must use to make the hashed browns?"

And for the next fifteen minutes, the Boy Wonder taught his beloved princess how to make the "hashed browns" with the help of the magic ingredient known to Earthlings as the potato.

Hash browns made, dishes piled neatly in the sink, and two Titans seated across each other at the table, the perfect, peaceful meal was ready to begin. Robin lifted his fork, dipped it into the ketchup on the side of his plate, and was bringing the food loaded utensil to his face when all of a sudden- **BANG!**

The doors of the elevator clanged shut and loud squabbling was now audible. Cyborg's heavy footsteps signaled their proximity to the pair, as Robin and Starfire sighed, knowing that said peaceful meal was now destined to be ruined. The remaining males living in the tower noisily made their way into the dining area, shouting obscenely at each other.

"MEAT!" Cried the vexed half robot as he forcefully slammed a pan onto the stove, getting it ready for the bacon soon to be placed upon it

"TOFU!" Screamed the green changeling from the fridge where he was brining out a fresh packet of tofu so he could turn it into his own breakfast meal.

"Please," began Starfire, leaving her spot from the table to float in between the arguing pair, "I am sure that a compromise can be-

"Star, " whined Beast Boy as he turned to face her, "tell Cyborg not to eat the meat! It was once a living creature! It's inhumane! And it's just WRONG! "

"But, it is his choice to eat-

Starfire was cut off as Beast Boy morphed into a cute green kitten with large, watery green eyes. He made a doleful face, one he knew he could count on to coerce the alien teen into doing almost anything.

Inwardly, Beast Boy grinned, for he could _feel_ Starfire's resolve weakening as he continued to look at her with those gigantic eyes. This feeling was literal, for Starfire had begun to pet the fluffy green kitten. Unluckily for him, however, his plan would soon become a failure as the over protective Boy Wonder's left eye twitched in the beginnings of jealousy. It also didn't help that he _already_ thought the changeling had a feeling slightly more than just friendship towards _his _Starfire.

Getting up from his own table setting, he picked Beast Boy up by the scruff of his neck and deposited him outside of the room, before dusting his hands off and returning to find Cyborg's bacon and eggs breakfast sizzling on the stove in the kitchen. Immediately, his gaze fixed upon Starfire, especially as she bounded towards him with a large smile on her face.

"Thank you, friend Robin, for rescuing me from the large-eyed Beast Boy kitten! I could not have held my resolve for much longer!" She exclaimed perkily as she came forward and hugged her favorite Titan (not that he knew, of course). Somewhat awkwardly, Robin hugged her back, and gruffly replied,

"It was nothing, Star." The smell of her strawberry scented hair intoxicated him, and more than anything he desired to entangle his fingers in her silky smooth hair as his lips captured her own in a kiss. Subconsciously, Robin's hands left her back and moved towards her waist to pull her closer to him so he could realize said desire.

But, this just happened to not be his morning. At the removal of his arms from her, Starfire thought this to be a sign to let him go so he could finish his breakfast. She smiled at him again before floating back to the table to put her now empty plate in the sink. Robin swore inwardly before chugging down the last of his black, bitter coffee.

And all this happened in the span of two minutes.

As he watched them from the kitchen, Cyborg smiled softly, almost wistfully. He knew the Tamaranian princess was the best thing to ever happen to Robin. He also knew that she loved him just as he loved her, but Robin could not see it. One day he would, however, and when that day came, Cyborg would be there, proud for his comrade and the girl he saw as a younger sister.

Beast Boy trudged into the room with a pouty sulk on his face. He shot a childish glare at Robin who reciprocated a fiercer glare, before wandering into the kitchen digging a block of tofu out from the fridge. He set it on a plate and waited until Cyborg left to eat at the table so he could cook it. The changeling surveyed the room while he waited, noting that the resident goth was not present, an odd occurrence since she normally rose earlier than the rest of the Titans.

Choosing to comment, Beast Boy asked the group, "Where's Raven?" Two shrugs came from the other male members of the room, but Starfire looked at him pensively.

"I have not seen her all morning," she replied, "but I did not awaken at my customary hour so I cannot be sure that she is awake. I shall go check on her, yes?" Without waiting for a response, the now concerned Starfire drifted off into the direction of Raven's room.

Thoroughly annoyed at having lost the opportunity to at least _watch_ Starfire flit about the main room, Robin glowered at a potted plant that was sitting on the kitchen counter in front of the window. Beast Boy finished cooking his tofu meal, and walked over to the table in time to notice Robin's anger issues with the plant.

"Dude, what's got you so mad?" He asked as he stuck a bit of food into his mouth. Cyborg turned to face Robin, one eyebrow raised, as he too wanted to know the answer to the question. He gulped down a large glass of orange juice as they both waited for a response.

As they expected, Robin answered with a sullen "Nothing." Without another word, he exited the room, most likely to work on some files or tone his muscles in the training room.

The remaining Titans looked at each other and shrugged before returning back to their respective meals. "Mega Monkeys V after we finish breakfast?" Asked Beast Boy through large messy mouthfuls of tofu.

"Nope," replied Cyborg as he stood to pile his plates in the sink, "Gotta work on the T-car. It's not gonna become cooler on its own you know." He left his plates and followed the path Robin had taken. He took the elevator down to the basement floor where his pride and joy was located.

A gleeful smile formed on his visage as he walked closer to the car, rubbing his hands together. "My precioussss…" he said creepily as he polished the surface of the car with a brand new, completely clean towel. Nonexistent spots were removed under his careful care, and thirty minutes later, the sounds of Cyborg tinkering with the T-car were audible throughout the lower regions of the giant T-shaped tower.

When Starfire tentatively knocked on Raven's door, she was barely surprised to find the half demon awake. In fact, she remembered today to be a sort of special day for Raven, because many years prior on this day, the dark empath gained a sort of control on her destructive powers so that she could harness them for good.

From the crack in the door, Raven affirmed Starfire's presence and half-smiled as she opened the door fully for the princess to enter. "Yes?"

"Beast Boy was concerned for your state of being and I volunteered to come and make certain of your well of being." She smiled. "Also, I recalled today to be the anniversary of the time that you began to learn control, and I wished to join you if I may, in the celebration process you are undertaking."

Raven's cheeks tinged pink at the mention of Beast Boy. Inside her room, one of the candles' lights fizzled out leaving a thin trail of smoke floating above it. "Of course you can join me, Starfire." She stepped back to allow her in, and Starfire entered the room. On a podium in the center of a circle of herbs with many different powers, lay an ancient book, the Book of Azar.

It was open to a page somewhere in the middle, and Raven slowly chanted the words, tracing the worn lines with her fingers. The words were unfamiliar to Starfire, who mumbled them along with Raven, until Raven held the book out to her. Suddenly, the words formed in her mind and she chanted alongside her friend. They both could feel the crackling of good energy in the air, mixing with the sweet smelling incense, to give them both a sense of tranquility. Their respective powers built up inside of them, and each girl was able to maximize her reserves slightly.

On the floor below them, sweat from Robin's brow dropped down onto the tiled floors as he paused in his work out. Breathing heavily, he mopped his forehead with a towel and returned to the training with renewed vigor. For the second time that morning, he acknowledged his insanity. A thought of Starfire training with him, muscles flexed, sweat glistening on her thin frame, suddenly crossed his mind, forcing him to once again pause in his work out.

He walked out of the room then, forsaking further training to shower. Anything he did at that point would be half hearted, for Starfire was on his mind, and he couldn't get her out of it. As he let the water soothe his muscles, he allowed himself to indulge in a daydream starring Star and himself, alone, partaking together in some _enjoyable_ acts of vulgarity that he knew for a fact he would not mind performing with her.

Robin sighed and shook his head, clearing his mind of all risqué thoughts, before turning of the water and changing into a fresh uniform. His temperament was much improved, as all feelings of jealousy and irritation had drained away in the training room. The insanity was lessened as well, and Robin felt himself capable of his normal, jovial demeanor.

His abilities would soon be tested, however, as he stepped into the main room just as the alarm sounded loudly, alerting the Titans of trouble. Beast Boy joined Robin by the main computer as the two waited for the other three members of the group. Cyborg bounded up the stairs, wrench still in one hand, and the two girls flew in shortly after.

"Trouble." Stated Robin in a matter-of-fact tone. "There's a robbery going on by the docks. Titans, GO!" he exclaimed in his trademark fashion. They nodded, and raced to the basement. Cyborg and Raven leapt into the T-car, and Robin hopped onto his shiny, red R-Cycle. The two vehicles sped off, with Starfire and Beast Boy in pterodactyl form flying swiftly beside them.

The docks were eerily quite when they reached. Using his sensory circuits, Cyborg detected the presence of a single person inside the dimly lit receiving areas inside the large buildings. A fork in the paths caused Robin to give them the order to split up into two groups.

Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven took the left path while Starfire and he tackled the right. He raced through the corridor with Starfire beside him, eyes and hands glowing green with pure raw power. The path once again bifurcated, and at Robin's nod to Starfire's questioning glance, the two split up.

Robin walked briskly, peeking into doors as he passed them, only to find them completely empty. His senses were alert, but the only sound he could hear was the sound of his metal-tipped boots on the ground. Finally, the path ended at a gray colored stonewall. It was a dead end. Robin angrily pounded a fist on it, before turning and running back in the direction from whence he came, eager to get to Starfire, to see if she had found anything.

And little did he know that she had in fact found something.

It was something familiar to her, but from another time or place. After they had split up, and each had taken his or her own path, Starfire had slowed her speed down to a slow hover, so that she could look into each room she came across. Her glowing fists lit up the dark, solitary rooms, bathing them in a greenish light. This made the objects in the rooms slightly more discernable, yet Starfire could not see the figure of any person in any room.

She continued down the hall, which was not unlike that which Robin had raced through. At the end of the path, there was a dead end too, but something standing in front of the wall caught her attention.

He was tall, and dressed in black. He wore a mask, it too was black, but as he stepped out of the shadow, Starfire immediately recognized him.

"The Red X!" She exclaimed, flying forward to poke his body. "Are you truly The Red X, or are you Robin in disguise?" She asked though she knew the answer. Robin had promised her already once before, that he would never wear the suit of Red X again, and Starfire believed him. She asked the thief this question more for the sake of asking, not for any other reason.

Red X didn't reply, but merely grabbed the wrist of the hand that had been poking at him and used it to pull her closer to him. A breeze filtered through the open skylight above them, and with it, a rush of light pink cherry blossoms encircled them. Starfire closed her eyes and breathed in their sweet scent, suddenly remembering this scene from another time.

"_They are for you…"_ came the voice unbidden from her dream.

Red X handed her a bouquet of white lilies tied with a pink satin ribbon. In the center of the bouquet, standing slightly taller than the other flowers was one perfectly shaped, crimson red rose.

"_They are for you…"_

"_They are all for you…"_

"_For you, my lovely…"_

"_I don't want you to leave me here,"_

"_Starfire,"_

"_I love you."_

The words from her dream resonated around inside her head, and the poor Tamaranian princess stared up at the man who held her gently in his arms. She accepted the bouquet he had presented to her, and he held her closer.

"_I love you…"_

She lifted her fingers to the side of his face. "_Robin_?" She asked him, sounding remarkably similar to a lost, confused child. She puzzled over this feeling she had inside of her, a feeling where this moment had happened before, and was happening again. It was déjà vu.

Red X opened his mouth as if to speak, perhaps to tell her that she was mistaken, but at that very moment, Robin skidded to a stop before him, eyes narrowed in anger, bo-staff out, and body positioned to attack.

"Let. Her. Go." He said through his gritted teeth. Red X smirked at him, and Starfire took notice of this new arrival.

Through glazed eyes, she stared at him, and smiled wanly, "Robin," she said, her words sounding slurred, "I seem to have re…recal…recalled my dream…" With that said, her eyes closed, and her limp body slumped in Red X's arms as she fell asleep or fainted, Robin could not tell.

"**STARFIRE!**" He shouted to her in concern before running at his hated rival.

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**Yuka:** Thanks  I'm glad you thought there was enough fluff, because there probably won't be any major fluff for a while. Red X will be in the story, but it's a RobxStar. But you know that already. Thanks for beta-ing  

**Babie A: **Thanks for liking my story. I updated as fast as I could, mainly because your words were so nice, so thanks!

**Tootsieroll64:** I'm glad you liked the descriptions. 

**TitansFan:** You don't have to wait any longer because the next chapter is here:D

**Clueless90:** Updated!

**DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious: **There weren't any dream descriptions in this chapter, but there will be in the next one…I think… Thanks for liking it :

**THANKS YOU GUYS FOR REVIEWING! I heart you all.

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Author's Note:** Thanks you guys, for reviewing the prelude with such kind words  I'm surprised that I managed to type up another chapter so soon normally I take weeks but maybe you'll like it. I wasn't sure if it actually fit in well with the prelude, but I was assured by **Yuka** that it did, so enjoy it :)


	3. Chapter Two: Of Other Worlds and Older L...

**The Magical Dreamer  
Chapter Two: Of Other Worlds and Older Loves**

**By Azareth Sakura**

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Disclaimer:** I don't own Teen Titans and stuff. Just the plot and any characters I end up creating later on in this story.

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Her eyes squeezed tightly together, as to keep all traces of the rising sunlight out. Her task failed, however, as ever so subtly a few tendrils of the clear golden light swept in between her dark lashes and lit up her unfocused gaze. Her eyes slowly opened, and she stretched silently, alleviating her sore muscles, even if only for the briefest of moments. 

Drawing her legs together, close to her body, Starfire yawned, and then looked up in the general direction of the sun as to take in the necessary energy. As she drank her fill, she pondered the situation- she was back in the dream world, but could no longer see the woods. It seemed as though some mystical force had transported her from their dark depravity whilst she slept, and placed her gently down into a tranquil meadow.

With a touch of regret, she noticed her male companion-if she could call the mysterious man from the woods that- was gone, he had disappeared, it seemed into the nothingness from whence her dreams were made of. Having drunk her fill of the pure, cosmic goodness, she stood and surveyed the empty pasture surrounding her.

Behind her, to the west, was more pasture. Starfire was not positive, but she was almost certain that the woods had been in that direction. She would not return there. To the east, in the distance, lay dark mountains. They did not have a dark, foreboding aura about them, but the alien girl could sense mischief and pranks of the habitants falling unto any unsuspecting visitor. This, she decided, would be the place she'd go to if the others felt as unwelcoming as the forest had been. A cold wind suddenly swept past her, and she turned in the direction it had come: the north. Up there it was winter, she could tell, as she rose into the air to get a clearer view. Though she did not feel cold as easily as humans did, Starfire still had the preference of warmer weather. The people seemed kind, so she decided that she would visit and explore the region come spring.

This process of elimination left her with but one remaining choice: the south. A foggy mist covered the distance for as far as she could see, even with her superior sight, but one large building was visible, partially at least. It was a formidable looking castle, able to strike fear into the hearts of an enemy, but brought comfort and a sense of security to Starfire. Thus settled, she selected this as the next place of visit, and set off in the direction of the castle. She hesitated only once, and that was to turn and look in each direction again as to reaffirm her decision.

She did not stop again.

The princess flew above the ground, and she noticed that the peasants farming in the fields before the castle stopped in their work as she passed to point and stare at her. She abruptly descended and continued the remainder of long trek to the fortress by foot. As she walked further, the people's stares lessened, and the fog began to dissipate with the coming out of the sun.

The castle was now more visible, and once again, a feeling of immense security blanketed her. Each step brought her closer, but each step also caused her to become more and more weary. The castle seemed to be close to her, yet every time she thought she was almost there, she turned the corner or climbed the hill to find the path continuing on past her line of sight.

A few hours later, the Titan collapsed to the ground, face red, hair flung out in messily, and breathing harsh. Fatigue had gotten to her, and as she felt herself beginning to lose consciousness, the sound of one familiar man in the midst of the sounds of the clamoring villagers was the last thing she heard before her vision went black, and she fell into a faint.

A tall man, dressed in a lively red colored shirt and ebony trousers stepped down from the snowy white mare, handed the reins to a nearby peasant, and swiftly made his way over to the sleeping Starfire. The villagers stepped back, forming a direct path to her, and bowed their heads in respect as he passed them.

He brushed a few stray locks from Starfire's forehead before scooping her gently into his strong arms, and turning to walk back to his horse. With the princess safely nestled in his grip, he whistled softly and the horse took off at a gallop.

The bed had been strategically placed near enough to one of the large glass windows so that as she slept, she would be able to absorb some of the needed energy to awaken her tired self. He lay her down into the bed, and pulled the cream covers around her, making sure she was warm enough. A plush chair made out of a beautifully varnished cherry wood sat in the corner of the room. Catching sight of it, the man dragged it over to the bed and sat down, watching the sleeping Tamaranian.

Three hours later, the rays of the sun began to dim as it passed beneath the rolling green hills that were visible behind the windows. Dusk came slowly, and with it, the sky turned into a vibrant, crimson orange color, the color of blood. The man was still there, and at first glance, he appeared to be merely sitting in the chair, face leaning against his right arm seemingly watching Starfire. A closer look showed him to be in fact asleep, leaned over on his right. His left hand was clutching the now warm hand belonging to Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran.

It was now dark, and the first rays of starlight glittered prettily on Starfire's tanned face. They came to a stop on the man's face as well, illuminating his handsome features. Starfire slowly opened her eyes, taking in the change of scenery while wondering where she was and how she got there. Idly, she wondered whether or not she was in the real world, but her thoughts soon changed as her awakening roused the sleeping man to consciousness.

Starfire gasped as his brilliant blue eyes stared into her now awake jade ones. His dark hair was mussed, and there was a red mark on his cheek, an imprint from the silver ring on his right hand. A black stone was set inside, and though she was not sure, Starfire believed it to be an onyx.

Sure that this man was who she thought he was, she parted her lips to speak. "_Robin?_" She asked. "What are you doing here? And… where exactly _is _here?" She did not bother asking about her friends, for in this world they did not exist.

Her eyes followed him as he rose from his chair, and sat down on her bed so that he could see her better. Picking up her hand, he gently brought it to his lips and kissed her softly, swiftly, and chastely on her knuckles. A shiver ran up Starfire's back, and he spoke. "I am not named Robin… I was once called that; it was my mother's nickname for me as a child. I am Richard Grayson, and this is my castle, _Koriand'rarai_."

"When you entered this world, _Nahar'nka_, I could sense your presence, as I did that time in the _Mizerazi Forest_. By the time I came and found you, however, you were just outside of _Korienthenal_, the small town surrounding this castle. I brought you here, and you have been sleeping now for almost…" here he paused to look at the crystal clock that hung on the wall. "…five and a half hours."

He gave Starfire a few moments to digest all this information. The words he spoke, the names of this place, were all foreign to her; yet there was something familiar about them- why was it that her name, her _true_ name was a part of them? What did it mean, she wondered. And what of this Richard Grayson? His appearance was uncannily similar to that of her dear Robin back at home. Deciding that since she didn't know how to return to her fellow Titans, she would just have to make the most of her time in this world, _Nahar'nka_, as Richard had called it. She sat up straighter, and inched closer to Richard. "Thank you for bringing me here, Richard, I am most grateful. I do not wish to bother you, however, so I will be leaving as soon as I can… perhaps I can find work in the town, yes?" She cocked her head to the side and gazed at him with a questioning look on her face.

"_Koriand'r_," he began, "For as long as you stay in this world, _Koriand'rarai_ will be a home to you- in fact, it is named for you; _Koriand'r_ is your name and _arai_ means place, so this is "Koriand'r's place."

As if she was in shock, Starfire found herself staring intensely at Richard. "How is it that you know my name- my _true _name? I do not recall meeting you."

Richard smiled gently at her, revealing two rows of perfectly straight white teeth. "I _love_ you, Koriand'r. You may not remember our meeting or our past, but I most certainly do. It was fate that took you from me, but something seems to have brought you back. Your memory seems to be missing, but fear not- I will help you get it back." He smiled again, and Koriand'r blushed. "And if I cannot…then by X'hal I will die trying."

Starfire smiled cutely; the sound of one of her native Tamaranian words in Robin's voice was something she treasured. It was rare when she heard him speak her home tongue, and the only word he'd ever say was _Koriand'r_. In front of the team, she was never Koriand'r or even Kori. It was always Starfire, or Star, if he was feeling particularly affectionate at that moment. It was remarkably strange how Richard's voice was the exact same tone as Robin's. She thought of asking him, but was at loath to irritate or anger her kind benefactor with any more of her questions.

Richard stood now, and extended a hand to help Starfire stand. They smiled at each other before she did so and walked out of the door. "Come, Koriand'r. Have a bath and then we will eat. If there is anything that you need, just ask for it- the people in this palace live for _you_. Their purpose is to make sure you are happy. _As is mine_." He led Starfire through the corridor outside her room and to the door at the end of the hall. He knocked once, and a maidservant opened the door.

"Good evening, Milord Richard," she curtsied, "What can I do for you this evening?"

"The lady wishes for a bath. See that she is ready for dinner, Kala."

"Yes, Milord." She took Starfire's arm and led her into the large bathroom as Richard left in the opposite direction. Starfire took no notice of his farewell as she entered the giant room and stared at her surroundings, transfixed by the utter lavishness of the place.

The floor she walked on was a beautiful white marble, with a floral design in black marble cut into a pattern around the edges. In the middle of the room, there was a round pool, with a marble bench to sit on. There were steps too, so that any attendants could assist with washing the hair or back or something. The pool was surrounded on two sides by fountains filled with the most clear blue water Starfire had ever seen. Small fish-like creatures swam across the waterfalls into the next fountain in search of food between the roots of the floating flowers.

Tall candle-like structures flanked each side of the wide, opened windows. More candles floated above the bath, illuminating whichever area needed light. Kala caught Starfire staring at these lights and informed her they were only used at night, for during the day the sun was more than enough light for the Reigning Lady's Bath (her name for the place).

Slightly embarrassed at having been caught, a slight blush rose into her cheeks and Starfire giggled nervously as she looked down at the floor. "None of that, Milady Koriand'r." Said Kala, "You are royalty, and Milord Richard's personal guest. You look down to _no one_."

Starfire raised her eyes with a bright smile on her lips. "I thank you for your kind words. I am Koriand'r, and I am most pleased to meet you."

"I am Kala, head of the royal bath. I will help you choose your attire everyday." She attempted a curtsey but Starfire caught her arm partway.

"Please, do not act as though I was some sort of royalty, even though I am. Treat me as you would a normal person."

Kala nodded unsurely, but she was not about to question the wishes of one so high ranking in the castle she had lived in since birth. As Starfire's current clothes were whisked away and the other attendants placed her in the bath, Kala took the opportunity to analyze her new mistress, unaware that Starfire was doing the exact thing.

The lady had hair of a brilliant red hue, long and silky, it was never out of placed. It was a deep, dark almost maroon red color now because it was wet. Her jade green eyes sparkled with delight as she watched the bubbles rise and land on her, and then she would blow them away, like a child. Her manner was pleasant, Kala decided, and her chatter was cute. Koriand'r was adorable in the same way a child was- young, innocent, naïve- the list would never end. Conversely, she also had the air of one much more wise and regal as though she had undergone more hardships than anyone could imagine so sweet a girl having to suffer.

She had an aura that brought people to her; Kala did not doubt that there was a single person capable of complete hatred towards the young princess. The other attendants were beginning to warm up to her as well, she noted, by the way they smiled when she spoke to them, and the way they answered her questions.

Starfire could see Kala watching her, and she wondered what Kala was thinking. While she befriended the attendants, she studied the head of the royal bath, knowing not that she had done the same exact thing.

Kala was a young woman of approximately twenty years old. Her hair was kept short, cut at such an angle that one side appeared longer than the other. It was also a deep black color, so dark that it took on a purple tint in most lighting. She was of average height, and average build. Her face gave the impression of a wise lady, one with grand virtues and great morals. She was a proud person, as Starfire could see, but also immensely loyal to those she liked. She resolved to become friends with her, but this was more because it was in her nature to like everyone she met.

The clear bluish-white colored water was heavenly. It was warm, but not too hot, and Starfire had relaxed in it immediately, her goosebumps disappearing as soon as the water completely covered her body. Attendant women had come with jars balanced upon their heads and dumped the contents into the bath. Soon, sweet intoxicating smells wafted throughout the room and Starfire smiled blissfully. Tamaran had been a planet home to a warrior race- there was never the opportunity to have such baths, and Earth was a place of self sufficient, hardworking peoples. As a heroine, certain things were expected of her, and a day at a spa wasn't one of them.

Two tall, olive-skinned women clad in short red tunics made her sit on a bench in the center of the bath, and stood behind her with another jar. Dipping their hands in it, they dripped a product into her hair, lathering it and massaging her head in a special, seemingly magical method. She closed her eyes as others scrubbed the remainder of her body clean. Though most inhabitants of Earth were extremely modest people, Starfire was not. She understood their reasons and insecurities that came with wearing clothing, and so she followed the customs placed by the social norms.

Kair and Araya, the two women washing her hair, stepped back and allowed a third girl, Melissé, wearing a similar pale blue outfit came with a long-toothed, ivory colored comb. Deftly, she ran it through Starfire's now clean but wet hair, and soon got rid of any tangles. Five more girls came and enveloped Starfire in a large, fluffy white towel, before leading her into an adjacent room.

This room had but one purpose: in it was the entire wardrobe of the lady of the house. Star's eyes widened as she _stared_ at all the clothing and accessories that she understood were _hers_ according to the motions of the maidens. Shelf after shelf held an assortment of shoes and jewels, in every color imaginable. Hanging from large horizontal beams were many dresses also of varying colors, shapes, and designs.

As it was late, and Starfire had not eaten anything all day, the attendants quickly selected for her a tasteful white gown, slightly longer than knee length with a cute baby pink design of cherry blossoms outlined in gold thread patterned on a border at the bottom. It was strapless, and backless, held together only by string that crisscrossed several times across her tanned back.

Her hair was expertly dried, combed, and curled ever so slightly to perfection. A pink rose was placed in it, just above her right ear, and Starfire was presumed ready. She wore white shoes, uncannily similar to ballet shoes, tied up her slender legs with a satin pink ribbon. Gracefully she rose from her plush chair in front of a large mirror and was whisked off towards the grand staircase.

Discretely, Starfire glanced over the railing to view what lay beneath her in the large palace. Her look was brief and blurry, but she saw bright lights and beautiful floors. Exquisite exotic plants lined every ten or so paces, equally distributed and eloquently placed as to capture the attention of whoever would walk through the hall. The entourage of maidens came to a halt at the top of the stairs.

Down by the foot of the stairs, Richard stood, waiting. His lips curved upward into a slight smile as he saw her. Starfire grinned back, and walked down towards him, her face dazzlingly illuminated by the large and ornate crystal chandelier. The stairs were numerous, and so Starfire jumped.

The attendants who stood waiting at the top gasped and a few even cried out, though what they said was foreign to Starfire, as she hadn't absorbed the language yet. Giggling, she raised herself into the air and landed three steps away from Richard. Her cheeks were a cute rosy pink from her laughter and when she raised her eyes to meet his, she noticed his cerulean orbs were shining with contained amusement, and one of his ebony eyebrows was raised ever so slightly.

They stood like that for a moment, gazes locked, concentrated on each other's face, while their lips formed smiles that seemed as though they were laughing at a joke that none would ever know. A clock chime sounded from somewhere deep in the castle, and suddenly the moment was gone, lifted away as if it had been just a dream.

Richard cleared his throat and bowed to her while extending his hand. "Come," he said, "dinner awaits us, Koriand'r." Shyly she nodded and placed her hand in his. Without another word, the pair entered the dining room and ate an extravagant meal while listening to traditional songs accompanied by the dancing of four girls who had managed to weave magic and illusion into their performance.

The meal was a quiet one. It was a change for Starfire, for most of her meals both on Tamaran and Earth had been loud and rowdy, with fights over who would eat what, or what to eat, and other things of that sort. Richard had been polite of course, asking as to whether or not the repast was to her liking. Enthusiastically, she had answered in the positive, reaffirming her replies with fervent nods and gestures.

The conversation had been lovely, and Starfire was quasi-reluctant to admit it. She felt slightly treacherous; having such fun with a man-who looked and sounded _exactly_ like her beloved Boy Wonder _had_ to be wrong. Still, it was nice to be able to bask in the feeling of knowing you were loved. As in _loved_. The kind of love young girls dream about, the kind of love that transcends all other emotions and worlds, the kind of love that lasts a lifetime- the kind of love Starfire wanted from Robin.

Anyway, the meal had ended and Starfire found herself sitting on a chair next to Richard, listening as he read a story to her. It was one of a fearsome warrior queen, a canonical piece of the _Nahar'nka _literature. She smiled softly as she curled up her squashy chair, drifting in and out of consciousness. Richard's voice was calm and soothing as he read to her…

_For thirteen days and nights, there had been naught but heavy rains plaguing the beautiful city of Thriadelll. Rizathak, the residing ruler of the warrior nation paced around the milky white floors of her castle, brow set in deep determination. She was worried, this much was obvious to any who entered her private chambers. Of the four runners she had sent out to search for either the armies of Yterial or find any news on their attempt of conquering her city, only one had returned._

_Her name was Rana, and she was the youngest member of Rizathak's royal guard. She had joined the army at the age of twelve to avenge the deaths of her parents and older brother. Disguised as a boy, she had been welcomed into the army as one of them until they found out her secret- she was a girl._

_The army leaders had been distraught and disgusted. A _girl_ serving in the army? It was ludicrous! Girls were frail and delicate- they had no place in battle, it was a man's world. So the furious chauvinistic men had brought her in front of a Grand Trial, of which she would have been convicted and sent to death._

_Miraculously, the queen had heard of her story and pardoned her. She made Rana one of her top protectors, a favor which Rana had never forgotten and would give her life to repay. Rana also happened to be very good at her job._

_So when she returned to the Citadel, eyes glassy, visage pale, and hands empty, Rizathak found worry necessary. The young warrior was in the nursing ward at the moment; her condition had been unstable. How was she, Rizathak wondered to herself. Her thoughts and pacing were both disrupted as loud pounding suddenly brought her to reality. Someone was at her door, and it was urgent._

_"My Lady," the man panted, "It is important! Yels, Oldento, Martok- they're all _dead_."_

_Those were the other three runners. _

_"The Yterial have sent their hearts and heads to us. **Their armies are approaching!**_ _ I fear their forces are much larger than our own, My Lady, **there is nothing we can do to stop them!**" He continued, panting._

_"**STOP**." Rizathak commanded. "There is **always** something we can do- **RALLY THE TROOPS**- we must **fight.**"_

_Another person ran into the room at that moment. She was short but sweet looking and her hair was askew and messy as she raced in. The woman wore the costume of the Healers…_

_"My Lady, Rana.."_

_"Yes?"_

_"This is not Rana- this is a clone, a spell cast _vision_, it is a trap!" This news did not trouble Rizathak as much as it should have, for she was already under so much pressure. _

_"We fight." She said before leaving her chambers to the armory. The man and woman stared at each other for a moment before following their queen out of the room and went in their own directions. The messenger went to inform the generals, and the Healer went to dispose of the spell cast illusion._

_She placed the last item of armor- her star-stone encrusted helmet- upon her ebony hair and sheathed her sword at her side. Sighing softly, her eyes hardened and she exited the armory. Upon her entrance to the hall, she was flanked on either side by four high-ranking generals. They walked silently out to the main gate, where the troops of men waited for word from their leader._

_Reaching her destination, she turned there to face her people, dark violet cape swirling behind her in the howling wind. Lightning flashed, illuminating her pale face while the rain continued pouring. She stood there, getting soaked, and parted her lips to speak:_

_"Men, warriors, comrades, brothers," she began, "Thriadelll is **our** beloved city. It is where we were born, grew up, and watched our families and children grow up- we can**not** let the Yterial take that from us. They want our city? They want our people? They can **try** to take them. Tonight we will fight for what is ours; we will **fight** to protect those that we love. Blood will be spilt this not, but it is **not in vain**. Now I ask you- **are you with me?**" _

_The speech was short, but effective. The men roared and clanged their swords on their shields. They cheered and shouted and a ghost of a smile flitted upon the queen's face. "**They are coming.**" She said, and the armies quieted. _

_In the midst of a heavy storm, the two armies clashed, one mightier than the other. In the dawn of the next day, bodies lay in the fields, torn to pieces, though not a large amount of people remained living, it was apparent who had won: the fearsome warriors under Rizathak's clan were victorious. It was their bravery, skill, and complete desire to protect that which was theirs by right. They did not and could not imagine their homes and children being used by the Yterial peoples as slaves and chattel. They would not let such a fate fall upon their clan, and for this they had won. _

_The Yterialians were a greedy people who wanted land, riches, and slaves, to add to their vastly growing empire. It was this and the misconception that they were superior to the Thriadellans that cost them their lives. It was a mistake that many made before, and would surely make again…_

Finished with the chapter, Richard looked up from his reading to find Starfire asleep, curled up like a kitten on the sofa with a slight smile on her face. Briefly, he wondered what she was dreaming about, and if he was in her dream. He rose from his own spot by the fire and walked over to her before bending down and picking her up to carry her to her room.

Confusing dreams haunted Starfire that night as she slept for a longer period of time than ever before. There was something about this strange place that made her feel lethargic and energy lacking. She remembered watching a movie based on a book where the crew of a mighty king had stopped at an island, only to find that the Lotus flowers they encountered on the sand made them sleep whenever they passed them.

She was walking in a dark place, not unlike the docks where she had met Red X that last day in Jump City. Candles lightened the long passageway at every five or so paces, and in the darkness their light was creepier than anything else. But Starfire was not afraid. She had trained with the Warlords of Okaara, sparred with the greatest heroes on Earth, spent time as a slave and test subject- there was nothing she _could_ fear anymore.

With that confidence booster in mind, the young Titan continued down the winding path hands and eyes glowing green. The sounds made by the creaking old wooden floor did not bother her as she gently hovered above them, continuing farther into the secluded building.

"_Koriand'r…_"

She gasped. "Who's there?" She cried as she whirled around in the air, eyes moving from side to side searching for whoever had said her name.

No one was there. "_It is I, Koriand'r…_"

From a distant black haze at the far side of her viewpoint, a figure appeared.

"Richard!"

He said nothing, but slowly moved closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her exposed neck. She giggled slightly as he murmured against her flesh, "_Be mine, Koriand'r, mine for all the eternities…_"

Something came and shoved him away.

"Robin?" She asked uncertainly at the new figure who had appeared there.

"_Kori, please,_" he began, "_Choose me- you have to choose me, Kori, no one else cares for you like I do…_"

"I do not understand…" she said. Why was he here? Why now?

"_No Koriand'r, Starfire, princess,_" began the third newcomer, "_I'm the one you should pick…I'll make you happy. Any way that I can._"

"The Red X!" She exclaimed. This dream was becoming stranger as each second passed. Why were three random men appearing suddenly in her dreams? Well, she reasoned, Robin wasn't _really_ that random. She had read in an Earth book that sometimes-repressed emotions could be reflected in the subconscious states of people. Richard's appearance too, wasn't surprising to her. The fact that this _wasn't _surprising is what surprised Starfire. He was new and interesting, so she surmised his appearance was not too out of place. Still, her slight feeling for him made it weird.

Red X was completely, one hundred percent unexpected.

Perhaps that one incident at the docks caused his sudden appearance in her dream? Starfire did not know; all she knew was that her life was starting to become too strange for her normal perkiness.

Wait a second. Starfire sat up in her borrowed bed. Whatever happened that day at the docks? She remembered the team splitting up, then her and Robin going their separate ways. Then she walked to the dead end and saw Red X…but after that?

* * *

Robin had never been more scared in his life. Not that he'd admit it, of course. Well, maybe there _were_ moments where he had been more frightened such as the time where Starfire almost got married to that nasty blob...thing, or the time where she was about to leave the Titans because she thought Blackfire would do a better job on the team than she did… It was funny how all these instances were related to Starfire, or _Kori_, as he liked to call her in his mind. 

He made sure to always call her that when they were alone. It made it seem as though it was some sort of secret that only they shared. He liked sharing things with Starfire. It was one of his greatest secrets, but he liked Starfire. A lot. Actually, now that he thought about it, he didn't just _like_ Koriand'r; he _loved_ her.

Back to the life scarring issue. When he ran through the dock area, and skidded to an abrupt stop, seeing Starfire lying unconscious in the arms of his foe was not helping. In fact, a surge of anger flared up inside him, and it took everything in his power not to give in to his animalistic instincts.

Time seemed to stand still for them during the moment their gazes locked. Robin's was furious, filled with anger at Red X's attempt to take his girl. Red X merely looked at him with a trained, impassive look. A smirk graced his lips as he opened his lips to speak.

"Give.Her.Back." Said Robin through clenched teeth before Red X could speak whatever taunting mock he was going to say.

"Make me, kid." Replied Red X as he gently set Starfire down on the ground.

"Gladly." Robin shifted into a battle stance, and leapt into the air as if to pounce on Red X, who had only risen seconds before. He dodged, barely rolling to the right in time. He back flipped expertly, landing approximately two feet in front of Robin with his bo-staff extended. Taking the hint, Robin extended his as well, and the two more or less evenly matched foes battled.

Ten minutes into the fight, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy had drifted towards them after clearing their areas and receiving no word from either Robin or Starfire. They stood at the entrance, observing the chaotic scene before them. Robin and Red X were swiftly moving blurs, their parries and blows were so fast- nigh impossible to see. On the side, they could barely make out the outline of Starfire's body lying on the ground.

It was remarkable how the ground in a two-foot radius of her body was untouched by the fight.

The three Titans looked at each other, and nodded in conformation before joining Robin to put an end to Red X. He saw that he was outnumbered, cursed his luck, and threw an explosive to the ground to produce a smoke screen for his getaway.

"She will be mine eventually, kid." Those were his last haunting words before he jumped through the hole in the roof above them.

Robin glowered at the spot where he had been last while the others walked over to Starfire. Raven closed her eyes and chanted her mantra slowly to analyze the Tamaranian.

"It's nothing serious. We just have to let her sleep it off, but…" here she hesitated.

"But **what**?" Demanded Robin with a harsh tone barely detectable in his question.

"I don't know how to explain it… her mind, her soul, they're here, but they're not…_here_." Replied Raven, completely unfazed by Robin's overprotective worrying.

"Dude. How does _that_ work?" Asked Beast Boy.

For once no one chided him on his choice of words, or stupid question, for Robin and Cyborg were wondering the same.

Raven merely shrugged. "That's the best explanation I can give you." She said before turning away and floating towards the exit. "There's nothing more I can do."

"Come on, man," said Cyborg to Robin, "we might as well get her home; I can run some tests on her and figure this thing out." He knelt down to pick Starfire up, but Robin stopped him.

"I'll get her." Was all he said. Cyborg nodded, and left, Beast Boy right behind him.

"Don't worry, Kori," he said gently as followed his teammates with the seemingly asleep Starfire cradled in his arms, "we'll save you."

* * *

Almost two days had passed, and Robin was worried. Well, he was maybe a little bit _more_ than worried. Every spare moment Robin had was spent at her bedside, watching over her, checking if she needed anything, looking over her latest test results to see if _anything_ had changed in the slightest as an indication that she was going to return to him any coming second.

Nothing changed.

The first day passed, with nothing. Cyborg's tests showed that nothing was wrong with her, but Raven's empathy gave a different result. Robin was unsure of what to believe, and decided that Red X did something to her. The only thing stopping him from tracking the thief down was his overwhelming desire to be there when Star woke up.

And now, nearly half a day later, Robin's eyes were red and bloodshot under the itchy, suffocating mask, due to a large lack of sleep. His stomach was empty, because he hadn't eaten much all day. Only about ten minutes had been spent showering, and he had slept in a chair by Starfire's bed in the hospital-like area of Titan's Tower.

The time was approaching noon, and the others were off saving Jump City from the thieving of a petty criminal. Robin had elected to sit with the alien princess, and was doing his duty devotionally. The sun's rays brightened Starfire's face, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly look. Since they were alone, and Robin's eyes were itching uncontrollably due to the mask and his lack of sleep, he slowly peeled it off, exposing his cerulean eyes to the world for the first time in a long while.

As he poured in some eye drops to relieve the irritation, he noticed a slight breeze filter through the opened window and blow some bangs into Starfire's face. He lightly brushed the stray hairs away, and smiled gently.

Slight, soft sounds startled him, and he stepped back a bit to see whether or not Starfire was finally going to awaken. He forgot about the mask he held in his hands, and was thus unprepared for the sudden opening of her big, wide eyes.

Jade orbs melded in with sapphire pools for what seemed to last an eternity. Secrets were exchanged during that glance, and Robin could have sworn Starfire knew his feelings for her at that moment, if she hadn't known before.

The moment was broken, shattered to pieces, in barely three seconds.

Starfire stared at him, with confusion apparent in her face.

"What's wrong, Kori?" He asked her, concern lacing his words.

"Richard?" She asked. "Richard Grayson? Am I in _Nahar'nka _still?"

"Koriand'r…" he said, blue eyes trying to penetrate into her soul as his brows creased in confusion and concentration. His eyes were questioning, but she did not notice it, "Kori," he began again, "how did you…_how did you know my name?_"

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**Yuka:** :) Cliffhangers make the world go round. And you're very welcome for the CyXCar and Gollum moments. :) And I'll leave the summary as is, thank you very much, because this is mainly RobXStar and there probably won't be much of anything else. :P Thanks for beta reading :D 

**clueless90: **Thanks:)

**xox. Annie Potter.xox:** I'm glad you liked it. You asked about the part that went as follows: "They went down in an amicable silence, the kind only the best of friends or closest of lovers could share, thought Robin. It's a good thing we're both, he continued to himself, or will be at least…one day… I hope…"

Robin is thinking to himself about the silence that they're sharing together. That silence is the kind that only best friends or lovers can share together, and Robin is noting how he's glad that he and Starfire are both (best friends and lovers) or at least how they will be one day.

Does that make sense now? Or did I confuse you further --; And you're not an idiot :) Updated!

**Steph (made in heaven):** More has been written :)

**DeLiRiOuS aka CAPTAIN obvious:** I'm glad you liked the confusion- brace yourself, because it's going to get even **weirder** :)

**ShadowCatOfTheNight: **The creatures are gone now, yes? They aren't too upset that it's been forever since I updated, right? I updated!

**THANKS FOR REVIEWING!

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Author's Note:** Sorry that this update was so long in coming. I was going to update over Spring Break, but I was gone for most of it, so I couldn't. Anyway, I also got some writer's block but I'm pretty happy with how this chapter came out. Well, most of it anyway. I have a clear idea of where this story is going now, and how it's going to end and stuff so yay go me. Thanks for reading, and be sure to leave me with your comments!


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